C&RL News February 2019 116

Gavin Baker is assistant director of government relations 
at ALA’s Washington Office, email: gbaker@alawash.org

W a s h i n g t o n  H o t l i n eGavin Baker

Libraries can ensure everyone counts 
in 2020 Census
The upcoming 2020 Census will have reper-
cussions for communities across the coun-
try. Academic libraries can play important 
roles in promoting a fair and accurate count.

Census data is key to the allocation of bil-
lions of dollars in federal funding to states and 
localities, such as education and healthcare 
programs. The decennial count of all residents 
is required by the U.S. Constitution to determine 
representation in Congress and the Electoral 
College, and is the basis for drawing districts 
for federal, state, and local offices. In addition, 
data resulting from the census is widely used 
by the public and private sectors for research 
and planning, including many social scientists.

As a consequence, the census is high-stakes 
for communities. If residents aren’t counted in 
the census, then their communities lose out on 
those resources and representation.

To help address these disparities, libraries 
can provide information about the census to 
their communities. In addition, the 2020 Cen-
sus will be the first that can be taken online.
As providers of technology access, libraries will 
need to be prepared.

One of the key service populations for aca-
demic libraries is also one of the demographic 
groups at greatest risk of being undercounted 
in the census: college students. In an analysis 
of nonresponse to the 2010 Census, the most 
influential predictors were renter households 
and people aged 18 to 24.

By providing information about the census, 
libraries can help the public understand the 
census, how it affects them, and how they can 
participate. For instance, do you know these 
facts about how the census will count college 
students?

• Students will be counted at the resi-
dence where they live and sleep most of the 
time—which may be their college address, 
not their parents’ home.

• Students living in the same off-campus 
apartment will be counted as one household 
on the same census questionnaire.

• Students living in on-campus dormito-
ries will be counted by the housing facility 
(as a “group quarters”), rather than directly 
responding to the census.

• Students who are foreign citizens, such 
as international students, will be counted the 
same way as all other students.

Providing information about the census 
can also link to learning objectives about 
topics such as the U.S. Constitution, electoral 
processes, government funding programs, and 
demographic data.

Ryan Womack, data librarian at Rutgers 
University Libraries, was involved with the 2010 
Census. As part of that experience, he wrote: 
“I made sure that we had posters and informa-
tion displayed around the libraries, and I did an 
interview about the importance of the Census for 
the campus TV channel. It was a fun experience, 
and the Census [Bureau] had plenty of materials 
to make it easier. So I would encourage librar-
ians to get involved!”

ALA is providing resources to assist libraries 
in engaging with the 2020 Census. ALA has re-
leased a brief for policymakers and community 
leaders, “Libraries and the 2020 Census,” and 
will publish additional informational resources 
for librarians and provide conference program-
ming and other opportunities in advance of the 
2020 Census.

To get involved, watch for opportunities 
on your campus or your community, such as 
a Complete Count Committee. You can also 
contact your regional Census Bureau office for 
more information. For assistance from ALA staff, 
you can contact Larra Clark (lclark@ala.org) or 
Gavin Baker (gbaker@alawash.org). 

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